The present invention generally relates to machines for pushing product laterally on a conveyor, and particularly in the preferred form to tray loading machines.
In a typical packaging operation, products are designed to be placed in cartons or trays which are then sealed or closed such as by shrink wrap for shipping. A common way for placing the product into the container is that the container is at least partially set up at the same level and along side of the accumulated and arranged product. The product is then pushed into the partially formed container by some mechanical method. Prior approaches for mechanically pushing the product suffered from several disadvantages and deficiencies. Specifically, prior loading machines were of complicated design, were expensive to manufacture and maintain, took considerable floor space both in machine width and length, were generally difficult to adapt to different size products, were unable to load products which were tied in packs, were unable to maintain the products in a pack arrangement, or were otherwise deficient.
Thus, a need has arisen in at least the field of tray loading machines for a method of mechanically pushing product laterally which overcomes the disadvantages and deficiencies of prior tray loading machines.